Sheet-feeding mechanism.



PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

M. F. MAHONEY. v SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 31, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOH ATTORNEY PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

M. P. MAHONBY] SHEET FEEDING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION run mean, 1901.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTORNE Y NWEPW/ WITNESSES w- 1w.

. PATENTED DEG.10, 190v. M. P. MAHONEY, SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.31, 1907.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES $1M; MG. 1

' ATTORNEY- No. 873,322- PATENTED DEG.10, 1907.

r M. P. MAIHONEY.

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATIOH FILED AUG. 31,-1907.

WITNESSES WVENTOH i ullllllllllll ll v ATTORNEY I caught between the being seriously injured thereby.

MICHAELIF. MAHONEY, OF'NEW HAVEN, oonunoriour, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO JOHN w. DOYLE, or EAST IHAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

SHEET-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented nee. 10,1907.

Application filed August 31.1907. Serial No. 390.914-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL F. MAHoNiiY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Sheet-Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide sheet feeding mechanism adapted for use in connection with presses generally, as for ex ample printing presses, and especially appli-" cable to presses for cutting and creasing pa- ,per boxes. I V It is, of course, well understood that in the manufacture of paper boxes the speed of the I machine isnecessarily limited to the speed at which the operator can feed the sheets. It 1s furthermore well. understood that in the manufacture of paper boxes the very best operators spoil a high percentage of the sheets owing to the fact that it is impossible when working at a high speed to insure the accurate feeding of every sheet. It is furtherrnore well understood that in feeding the sheets to paper box machines, the operator is in constant danger of having his hand platen and the bed, an

My present invention enables the manufacturer to dispense entirely with skilled labor in running the presses, as hand feeding in the ordinary sense entirely done awaywith and it is only necessary to provide unskilled labor to supply sheets to the feeding mechanism, the feeding by means of my present invention being very much more rapid thar'r' has heretoffiefibeen possible, thereby greatly increasing the product of the presses and at a greatly reduced cost for labor, and-still further reducing the cost of production byentirely eliminating the loss from spoiled sheets, and lastly, but by nomeans least important, my present invention entirely eliminates the liability'of injury. to the operator.

With these and other objects in view I have devised the simple and novel sheet feedi-h mechanism which I will now' describe, referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and usin reference characters to indicate the severa parts: i

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one end of a press, for example a press foruse in outtin and creasing paper boxes with mnove feeding mechanism applied thereto; lig. '2 a plan view corresponding'therewith; Fig. 3 an enlarged end elevation of the gripping mechanismpthe gripper shaftbeing in section on the line 55 in Fi 2 looking in the direction of the arrowand. t e position of the gripping mechanism relatively to the table being 1n-. 'dicated bythe line 3- 4 in Fig. 2; one pair of grippers being in the open PoSItlOll and about to gri'p a'sheet; Fig. 4 a similar view when the gripper .has gripped a, sheet an instant later; Fig. 5 a similar view, the gripper shaft by theline 55 in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 an enlarged section on the line 66.in Fig.2 looking in view opposite to that in Fig.- 6, the position of the parts corresponding with Fig. 5 and the full line position in Fig. 1; and Fig. 8 1s a detail lan ,view corresponding with Fig. 7.

10 enotes the bed of a press, 11 the driving gear, 12 the platen which is provided w1th side plates 13, and 14 a connecting rod pivoted to the driving gear and to one of the side plates of the platen. Each of the side plates of the platen is provided with a roller 15 (see dotted lines, Figs. 1 and 2), which travels on being in section and in the position indicated detail elevation, the gripper shaft being in the direction. of the arrows; Fig. 7 an eleva- V tion' of the same mechanism from a point of the edge of a plate 16, the said plates being on opposite sides of the press as clearly shown in Fig.2. The above parts are those of an plates 18 by means of which they are rigidly.

secured to the platen.

. 19 denotes carriers adapted to reciprocate on the rods and 20 coil springs on therod which bear against the ends of the carrlers and against collars 21 rigidly secured to the outer ends of the rods. At the inner ends of the carriers and extending outward therefrom are studs 22 which carry grooved rollers 23 adapted to travel -on cam tracks 24. The

inner end of each cam. track is rigidly secured to the frameof thepress as at 25, the outer ends of the cam tracks being shown as ex-' tending downward floor, which supports the press,

the outer ends of the carriersand extending downward gtherefrom. are hubs 27 in'which the'gripperjshaft 28 is journal'd. 'At the i and rigidly secured to the meat 26. At

the cam tracks 24 (see the cam track at gripping position.

.movable mid-length-of thegripper shaft and rigidly secured thereto is a plate 29 which is provided with three arms indicated by 30, each of which carries an independent" gripper. Eachgripper comprises two or more pairs of gripping fingers (two pairs being shown in the drawings) and gripper strips to which the gripping fingers are adjustably secured and which are hinged to each other, one of said gripper strips being rigidly secured to one of the arms 30 and the other gripper strip being gripper arm which is piv- 32 is rigidly secured in the face of this recess."

The corresponding movable gripper strip 33 faces the fixed gripper strip and 1S rigidly secured to a gripper arm 34.

' 39 denotes hinges by which the fixed and gripper strips are connected to each other. I i

' The inner end of each gripper arm 34 is provided with a segment gear 40 which meshes with a corresponding segment gear 41 on an arm 42 carried by arock shaft 43. There are three of these rock shafts 43 corresponding with the three grippers. The inner ends of these rock shafts are mounted to, oscillate in plate 29 and the outer ends are mounted to oscillate in a collar 44 on gripper shaft 28. At the outer end of each rock shaft 43 is a crankarm 45, the outer end of which is preferably, provided with a roller 46, said rollers being adapted to engage a cam 47 whichis rigidly secured to any suitable fixture, and

also a cam 75 presently to be described. In

the present instance, I have shown cam 47 as rigidly secured to and projecting from one of top of sheet in Fig. 2,).

76 denotes springs secured to arms 30 and bearing upon the gripper strips, the'action of which is to retain the gripping fingers in the 48 denotes angle plates near the-opposite ends of gripper shaft 28, and 49 springs rigidly secured to carriers 19 and extending into position to be engaged by either of the sides of the angle plates, said angle 'plates being provided with three sides and the function of by a spring-actuated pawl 51 carried by a said plates and the corresponding'springs being to retain the gripper shaft and grippers in position after each actuation of the shaft which will presently be fully explained.

At the end of gripper shaft 28 opposite to earn 47 is a ratchet wheel 50 rigidly secured to the shaft. This ratchet wheel is engaged erases housing 52on an arm 53 which is mounted to oscillate on the gripper shaft. 54 denotes anoperating arm which is pivoted to thel'outerend fof arm 53 and is provided .at its opposite endjfiwith a slot 55 ,through which a screw stud. 56 passes, said stud engaging the collar 21 at the outer end of the rod 17 on that side of the device and said collar being provided with a flattened .face corresponding with the face of the operating arm as indicated at 57. It will be notedthat operating arm 54 and crank arms 45 on rods 43 are placed on opposite sides of the device for convenience in arrangement.

Above-frame 10 of the press is secured a frame 58which supports an adjustable table 59 which is supplied with sheets by the operator, a sheet on the table in the act of being gripped-by the fingers being indicated by 60 (see Figs. 1, 3 and 4).

In order to provide for feeding various sizes of sheets, I make the table adjustable both longitudinally and vertically. The longitudinal adjustment of the table is effected by means of slots 61 near the edges of the table through which screws 62 pass and engage frame 58. In order to provide the necessary vertical adjustment for the forward edge of the table,.I divide the table transversely into two parts which are hinged together as at 63. table may be raised 'to any required adjustment by means of screws 64 which pass of the table. If required to raise the table, the set screws are turned inward and after the-table is raised to the required adjustment the screws are locked in position by set nuts 65,. provide one or more side guides 66 upon one side of the table. The side guide shown is secured in place by a set screw 78 passing through the slot. At the forward edge of the table and journaled in bearings 67 secured to the underside of the table is a rock shaft 68 having extending therefrom two or more stop pins 69 which project upward slightly above the top of the table and normally form stops catedby 79 in Fig. 3.

At the outer end of bracket 74 is a cam 75 which is adapted to be engaged by one of the crank arms 45 to open the corresponding grippers and by the rear end of lever 7 2 to For the convenience of the operator, I.

for engagement by the forward edge of the The forward edge of the ,through frame 58 and engage the underside provided with a longitudinal slot 77 and is oscillate rock shaft 68 and swing the-Stop pins out of the way of the sheet, as will'be lever-7 2 is in practice provided with a slot or a plurality of holes as shown to provide an adjustable connection of rod 71 to said lever to correspondwith different adjustments of the table.

The operation is as follows: It will be understood that the grippers arenormally held closed by springs 76. Fig. 3 shows a position of the parts just before a gripper has reached the gripping position, which is at the extreme of the movement of the gripper shaft toward the table, and Fig. 4 shows a position of the parts just after a sheet has been gripped and the gripper shaft has commenced to travel backward. 1 As a gripper approaches the position shown in Fig. 3, its crank arm 45 (shown as provided with a roller 46) will en'- gage cam 75 and pass under said cam, the effect of which is to oscillate the rock shaft 43 and move gripping fingers 31 to the 0 en position as m Fig. 3, against the power o spring 76. It has already been stated that the sheet to be operated upon is'placed in en gagement with the stop pins 69 on rock shaft 68. When the grippers reach the extreme of their forward movement, an instant after the position shown'inFig. 3 and an instant be.- fore the positionshown in Fig. 4, the end' of the crank arm will ass forward and out fromunder cam 75. T e instant this movement takes place, spring 76 will close the grip ing theisheet off from the table.

fingers upon the edge of the sheet, the e ect of which will be to oscillate segment gears 40 and 41 and throw crank arm 45 upward, bringing said crank arm into engagement- With lever 72, tilting saidlever, oscillating rock shaft 68 and swinging the stop pins out of the Way of the sheet, as. in Fig. 4. The backward movement ofthe gri per draws he instant the rear end of lever 72 passes off from cam 75 inthe backward movement, the lever will drop by gravity and will return the rock shaft and stop pins to their normal position ready to be engaged by the next sheet.

Turning now to Fig. 1, the dotted position of 50.

formedupon the sheet last previously re moved from the table. The nature of this operation, as already stated,'is wholly unimportant so far as the present invention is con-. cerned. The rotary movement of-the driving gearand the oscillatory movement of the platen is continuous As the grippers-travelbackward, the grooved rollers 23 on carriers- 19 travel backward onthe. cam tracks, the effect of which is, from the dotted-position of the grippers shown in Fig; l'until the rollers have reached the high portions ofthegcam tracks, indicated by 80, to fo cecan'iers 19f Figs. 6 and 7. The

outwardonfrods fl against the power of I h ,sprrings- 2 0; The effect of this movement is, more fully explained. The forward end of t oughgthe actionxof. operating arm 54, arm 53, pawl 51- and ratchet wheel 50 on the gripper shaft which is engaged by said pawl, to

impart a third of. a rotation to the gripper shaft and grippers against the power of springs 49 whic engage angle plates 48 on the gripper shaft. ment of the gripper shafts and grip ers-is completed, which is at the instant rol ers 23 on the -carriers have reached the high portio'ns of the cam tracks, the gripper shaft and grippers-will be again locked in position through the engagement of springs 49 with the next'faces of angle plates 48 to come into the locking position, -as' clearly shown in osition of arm 53 and o crating arm 54 in. ig. 6 corresponds with I 5 t e dotte'd 'position of the grippers in Fig. 1,

that is, at the commencement of the 'turning movement." I

Fig. 7 shows the position of the parts at the end of the turning movement of the gripper shaft, that is, at the'instant rollers 23 are at thehigh portion of the cam track. At the commencement of the movement, springs 20 on rods 17' will be extended as in'Figi. 6 and screw studs 56 will be.at the outer endsof slots 55 in the operating arms. At the end of the turning movement, screwstuds 56 will be at the inner ends of the slots in the' operating arms, carriers 19 will be' at their farthest outward position on rods 17 and springs 20 will be compressed between the carriers 19 are high portions 0 convenience I have 'indicatedby 80, to the position shown in Fig. '1, there will be no change in the relative position of the carriers', gripper shaft and grippers' The effect of the v fpassingbackward from the turning movement of the gripper shafts and grippers will be to draw the sheet that was being operated upon when the platen was in the dotted position in Fig. 1 entirely off from the platen and to draw the sheet which,

has just been-gripped, as already described,

movement, the grippers and the'platen will; i

be in the full line position in Fig-'1. Asthe carriers and grippers approach this position, the crank'arm 45 corres ending with the' gripping fingers holding t e sheet that has just been operated upon and drawn off. from the platen willride up on cam 47 (see Fig.

5, in'--conn ection with Figs. 1 and 2),:the' ef:

.fect of. be :to oscillate ithaicrankE- ifigl" As soon as this move- I ends of the-carriers and collars 21 at the outer ends of the rods. While rollers 23 and the cam tracks, which forr shaft and the corresponding rock shaft 43 the gripper that wi next grip a sheet'is indicated by a, the gripper which is holding a sheet previous to its being operated upon is indicated by b and the gripper which has just released a sheet is indicated by 0. An instant after the release of a sheet the gripper shaft and grippers commence to move forward from the full line, position in Fig. 1

toward the dotted position in Fig. 1. While the grippers are moving from the full line position in Fig. 1 to the high portions of the cam tracks, there will'be no change in the relative position of the grippers except that the crank arm 45 of the gripper that has just released a sheet, as in Fig. 5 and gripper cm Fig. 1, willpass backward off from cam 47 and the corresponding spring 76 will carry the movable gripping fingers, to the closed position. When -the grippers in their forward movement reach ,high portions 80 of the cam tracks, carriers 19, operating arm 54 and arm 53 will still be in the position shown in Fig. 7. pass from high portions 80 of the cam. track toward the dotted position in Fig. 1, the operating arm, arm 53 and the carriers will commence to slide inward on rods 17 from the position shown in Fig. .7 toward the po sition shown in Fig. 6, the pawl during this movement passing backward overthe teeth of ratchet wheel 50. When the parts have reached the position shown in Fig. 6, the pawl will be in engagement with the ratchet wheel ready to impart another one-third ro tation to the gripper shaft and grippers after the next sheet has been seized by a pair of gripping fingers and while the gripper shaft and carriers are moving from the dotted position in Fig. 1 toward high portion 80 of the cam tracks. I The movements just described.

are continuously repeated during the operation ofet e machine, the mechanism easily handling two thousand or more sheetsv per hour, that is taking the sheets singly from the table, holding them while they are being operated upon and then releasing them, the machine being operated without skilled laher, without danger to' the operator and.

without injury to the sheets operated upon and the mechanism handling moreover a far greater number of sheets than it is possible to handle by any means heretofore known in the artf In use, the sheets to be operated upon are centered relatively to the center of the platen. For largersheets, the table is moved forward and the gripping fingers are set backward on the gripper strips and for smaller sheets the table 1s set farther back that is away from the grippers, the forward As the cam shaft and grippers end ofthe table is preferably tilted more or less by means ofthe set screws and the gripping fingers are moved forward on the gripper-strips.

Having thus described my invention, I

having rods extending therefrom, of carriers adapted to reciprocate on said rods, rollers upon the carriers, cam tracks upon which the rollers travel, a gripper shaft journaled in the carriers, grippers carried by said shaft andu mechanism for opening and closing the grippers.

3. In a press, the combination with a bed, a swinging platen having rods extending therefrom and cam tracks, of carriers adapt ed to reciprocatl on the rods, grooved rollers on the carriers engaging the cam tracks, and a gripper shaft j ournaled in the carriers.

4'. The combination with a swinging laten having rods extending therefrom an provided with collars at their outer ends, of car riers on said rods; rollers on the carriers, a cam track engaged by the rollers and springs intermediate the carriers, and the collars, said cam tracks and springs acting to rec-i rocate thecarriers on the rods when t 10 platen is operated. I

5. The combinationwith a swinging platen having rods extending therefrom and provided with collars at their outer ends, of carriers on said rods, rollers on the carriers, a

cam track engaged by said rollers, springs intermediate the carriers and the collars for the purpose set' forth, and a gripper shaft ing gripper shaft journaled in said carriers,

and grippers carried by said shaft, each gripp'er comprising a plurality of gripping fingers,

I gripper strips to which the fingers are adustably secured and means for opening and closing said grippers.

7. The combination with a swinging platen having rods extending therefrom, of carriers adapted to reciprocate on saidrods, a rotating gripper shaft journaled in said carriers,

a three armed plate carried by the gripper shaft, grippers carried by said plate and mechanism for opening and closing the grip.-

Pers' 8. The combination with reel rocatmg carriers, .a gripper shaft journale in said carriers and a three-arrned plate carried by said shaft, of gripper strips secured to said arms, gripper arms pivoted to said arms;

v 'to' open and close the gripping fing of gripper arms pivoted to arms 30, gripper 12. The combination with reciprocating gripper strips secured to the gripper arms, fingers carried by the gripper strips an means for oscillating the gripper arms ers.

9. The combination with reciprocating carriers, a 'gripper shaft journaled in said carriers and a plate carried bysaid shaft and provided with arms 30 having-recesses 37,

strips secured in said recesses and gripper strips secured to the gripper arms and means for oscillating the gripper arms.

10. The combinatlon with reciprocating carriers, a rotating gripper shaftjournaled in said carriers and a plate carried by said shaft and provided with arms 30, of a pair of grip- 4 per strips sup ortedlby each of said arms 30,

and adjustab e gr the gripper strips. 7

11. The combination with reciprocating carriers, a rotating gripper shaft journaled'in said carriers and a plate carried by said shaft and provided with arms 30, of grippers comprising a pair of gripper strips supported by each of sald arms and gripping fingers mountppin'g fingers carried by "ed on said strips, and means for operating said grippers.

carriers, a gripper shaft journaled in said carriers and a. plate carried by said. shaftand provided with arms 30, of gripper arms piv-, 'oted to arms 30 and provided with gears,

arms 42 having segment gears meshing with said gears on said gripper arms, rock shafts arms and arms 42 carried by said rock shafts,

gripper arms pivoted to arms 30, intermeshmg gears on the gripper arms and arms 42 and a cam adapted 'to be engaged by the crank arms to oscillate the gripper arms.

14. The combination with reciprocating carriers, a gripper shaft journaled in said carriers and a p ate having arms 30 carried by said shaft, of gripper arms pivoted to arms 30, rock shafts carried by the gripper shaft, 55.

connections intermediate the rock shafts and thegrr per arms, and means for oscillating 'the roc shafts to'open the gripper arms.

15. The combination with reciprocating carriers, .a gripper shaft j ournaled in said carriers and ap ate having arms 30 carried by v said shaft, of gripper arms pivoted to arms 30, rock shafts carried by the gripper shaft,

" connections intermediate the rock shafts and the gripper arms, means'for oscillating the rock shafts to open the gripper arms and springs for retaining the gripper arms in the c ose position. Y

'16. The combination with reciprocating carriers, a gripper shaft journaled in said carriers and n plate having arms 30 carried by said shaft, ofa pair of grippers sup orted by each of said arms 30, each of saidlpairs of grippers including a gripper having a gear,

arms 42 having gears corresponding with the gears on said gripper arms, rockshafts by which arms 42 are carried, springs for retaining the gripper arms in the closed position and means for oscillating the rock shaft to open the gripper arms against the powerof the springs.

17. The combination with reciprocating carriers, a gri per shaft journaled in said carr ers and a p ate having arms 30 carried by said shaft, of gripper arms ivoted to arms 30, rock shafts carried by t e gripper shaft and having arms 42 and crank arms, corresponding segment gears on the gripper arms and arms 42, springs for retaining the gripper arms in the closed position and a cam ada ted to be engaged by the crank arms to osci late the gripper arms against the power of the springs.

18. The combination with reciprocating carriers, a gri per shaft journaled in said carriers and a p ate having arms 30 carriedby said shaft, of gripper arms pivoted to arms 30, and gripper strips carried by the gripper arms and arms 30 and hinged to each other.

19, The combination with reciprocating carriers, a gripper shaft j ournaled in said carriers and a p ate having arms 30 carried by, said'shaft, of gripper arms pivoted to arms 30, and gripper strips carried by the gripper arms an springs for retaining the gripper arms in the closing position and means for oscillating the gripper arms against the power of the springs.

arms 30 and hinged to each other,

20.; The combination with reciprocating carriars, a gripper shaft journaled in said carriers and a plate having arms 30 carried by said shaft, of gripper arms pivoted to arms 30, and gripper strips carried by the gripper arms and arms 30 and hinged to each other, adjustable gripping fingers carried by the gripper strips and means for opening and closing the grip er arms.

21. The com ination with the platen, of reciprocating carriers connected with said platen to swing therewith, a ripper shaft journaled in said carriers, a p ate on said shaft, grippers carried by said plate, and means for opening and closing said rippers. 22. The combination with the p aten, of reciprocating carriers connected with said platen to swing therewith, a gripper shaft journaled in said carriers, a plate on said shaft, grippers carried by said plate, means for opening and closing the grippers, and means for imparting rotary movement in a continuous direction to the gripper shaft.

carriers, a gripper shaft journaled in said carriers and a gripper-carrying plate on said 23; i The combination with reciprocating shaft, of means for opening and closing thegrippers, means for imparting an intermittent rotary movement in aeontlnuous d1rectionto the gripper shaft, and means for retaining the gripper shaft in position after, each actuation. 4

24. The combination. with a swingin provided with collars at their outer ends, reciprocatlng carriers on said rods, a gr pper shaft journaled in said carriers, and a gripper carrying plate and ratchet wheel on said shaft, of a housing mounted to oscillate on the gripper shaft, a spring actuated pawl carried by said housing and engaging the ratchet Wheel; an operating arm pivoted to the housing and having at its opposite end a slot, and a stud passin through said slot and fixed to one of the co ars.

-gaging the ratchet and an operating arm pivoted to the pawl carrying. arm and having a slot and stud connection with the collar on one of the rods, whereb the carriers are caused to reciprocate on t e rods. and rotary movement is 1m 'arted to the gripper shaft.

26. The com ination with a swinging platen, rods extending therefrom and carriers on therods, ofcam tracks on which the carriers travel, a gripper shaft journaled in the carriers and pawl and'ratchet mechanism for imparting rotary movement. to the gripper shaft.

27. The combination with a swinging platen, rods extending therefrom and carriers on the rods, of cam tracks on which the carriers travel, a gripper shaft journaled in the carriers, an arm mounted to oscillate on the gripper shaft, an operating arm pivoted to said arm and having a slot and stud connection with one. of the rods and pawl and ratchet connections, whereby movement of the carriers in onedireotion' will impart rotary-movement to the gripper shaft.

28: The combination with a swinging platen,'rod's extending therefrom andcollars and carriers on the rods, of cam tracks on which the carriers travel," springs intermediate the carriers and collars, a gripper shaft journaled in the carriers and connec tions intermediate the gripper shaft and one of the rods whereby movement of the carriers in one direction will impart rotary movement to the gripper shaft.

tion. platen having rods extending therefrom and 29. Thej'combination with a swinging platen, rods extending therefrom and carriers on the rods, of cam tracks on which the carriers travel, a gripper shaft journaled in the carriers, an angle plate on the gripper shaft, connections intermediate the gripper shaft and one of the rods, for the pur 3080 set forth, and a spring engpging the ang 0 plate to retain the gripper s aft after each actua 30. The combination with a swinging platen, rods extending therefrom and having collars at their ends and carriers on'the rods, of cam tracks on which the carriers travel, springs intermediate the carriers and collars, a gripper shaft journaled on the-carriers and having a ratchet wheel, an arm mounted to oscillate on the gripper shaft, a pawl on said arm engaging the ratchet and an operating arm pivoted to said arm and having a stud and slot connection with the collar on the corresponding rod. i 31. The combination with a swinging platen, rods extending therefrom, carriers on the rods and a rotatin gripper shaft journaled in the carriers, of grippers carried by said shaft, mechanism for o ening and closing the grippers, and a ta )lefroni which sheets are taken by the grippers.

32. The combination with a swinging platen, a gripper shaft carrying grippers,

mechanism for imparting rotary movement to the gripper shaft and mechanism for opening and closing the grippers, of a table from which sheets are taken by the rippers, a-rock shaft at the forward edge of tile table having stop pins for engagement by the sheets, and mechanism for oscillating the rock shaft to swing the stop pins away from the sheets.

33. The combination with a swinging platen, a gripper shaft carrying grippers,

mechanismfor imparting rotary movement to the gri per shaft and mechanism for opening and e osing the "rippers, of a table from which sheets are trilren by the grbpers, a rock shaft at the forward edge of time table having stop pins for engagement by the sheets, and an arm, 70, a lever 72, a rod connecting said lever with arm 70 and means for oscillating said lever to swing the stop pins away from the sheets.

34. The combination with a swinging platen, a gripper shaft carrying grippers, mechanism for imparting rotary movement to the gri per shaft and mechanism for opening and c osing the grippers, of a table from which sheets are tahen'by the gri' pers, a rock shaft at the forward edge of t io table having sto pins for engagement by the sheets, and an arm 70, a -lever having a weight at-its rear end, a rod connecting said lever with arm 70 and means for oscillating said lever to swing the stop "pins away from on the lever acting to return the stop pin to.

by each crank arm to open the correspond the sheet to be operated upon, the weight position for engagement by the next sheet.

35. The combination. with a swinging platen, a gripper shaft, grippers. carried thereby, mechanism for n'nparting rotary movement to the gripper shaft, rockshafts' carried by the gripper shaft and provided with crank arms and operating connections between the rock shafts and the grippers, of a table for sheets, a cam 75 which is engaged I ing-gripper when in position to take a sheet I platen,

and a'cam 47 which is engaged by each crank arm when the corresponding gripper is in position to release asheet.

36. The combination with a swinging platen, a gripper shaft, grippers carried thereby, mechanism for imparting rotary movement to the gripper shaft, rock shafts carried by the gripper shaft and provided with crank arms and operating connections between the rock shafts and the grippers, of

a table for sheets, a rock shaft .at the forward edge of the table having stop pins for engagement by the sheets and an arm 70, a weighted lever, a rod connecting said lever with arm 70 and cams 47 and 75 which are engaged by the crank arms, substantially as described for the purpose specified.

37. The combination with a swinging reciprocating carriers, a gripper shaft ournaled in the carriers,- and grippers carried by said shaft, of rock shafts carried by thevgripper shaft and provided with cran'k arms, operating connections between the crank arms and the grippers, springs for closing the grippers,l means for imparting rotary movement to the gripper shaft and cams 75 and 47 which are adapted tobe engaged by,

the crank arms to open the grippers to receive and to .release a sheet.

38. The combination with a swinging ried by said shaft, ofrockshafts'carried by the gripper shaft and proyided with crank arms, operat ng connections between the crank arms and the grippers, springs for closing the grippers, ratchet mechanism for I imparting rotary movement to the gripper shaft, means for retaining the gripper shaft after each actuationand cams engaged by the crank" arms to open the grippers at predetermined times.

40. The combination with a swinging platen, reciprocating carriers, a gripper shaft 'journaled in the carriers and grippers and an angle plate carried by said shaft, of rock shafts also carried by the gripper shaft and provided with crank arms, operating connections between the crank arms and the grippers ,'springs for closing the grippers, means for lmparting rotary movement to the grip I per shaft, a spring engpging the. angle plate to retain the gripper s aft after each actua-fl tion and cams'engagedby the crank arms to] open the grippers at predetermined times.

41. The combination with a swinging platen, reciprocating carriers, a gripper shaft j ,o'urnaled in the carriers and grippers carried by said shaft, ofmeans for imparting rotary I movement in a continuous direction to'the gripper shaft and means for opening and closing the grippers at predetermined times.

42.. The combination with a swinging journaled in the carriers'and grippers carried by said shaft, of means for imparting rotary platen, reciprocating carriers, a gripper shaft .7

movement in a continuous direction to the gripper shaft, means for opening and closing the grippers at-predetermined times, a table for sheets, a rock shaft at the-forward edge of said table'which isprovided with stop pins and meansfor oscillating said rock shaft and pins when a sheet is taken by the grippers. 43. The combination with a swinging platen, reciprocating carriers, a gripper shaft journaled in the carriers and grippers carried by said shaft, of means fqr imparting rotary movement in a continuous direction to the gripper shaft, atable, means'for adjusting said table, for the purpose set forth, and means for opening and closing the grippers at predetermined times.

44. The combination with a swinging platen .having rods extending therefrom, re-

ciprocating carriers movably mounted -on said rods, arotating gripper shaft journaled in the carriers and three sets of gripping fingers .carried bysaid shaft, of a table for sheets, means. for imparting rotary move 'ment to the gripper shaft, and means for opening and closingthe gripping fingers at redetermined times, whereby in use a sheet is held by one set of gripping i'mgers while being operated u on, a sheet is being taken by another seto fingers and the sheet previously operated upon is being released by the other set of fingers. a i

45. The combination with a swinging platen having rods extending therefrom, reciprocating carriers movably mounted on said rods, arotating shaft journaled in said carrers and grippers carried by said shaft, of a table for sheets divided transversely and hinged, screws for adjusting theforward edge of the table, means for imparting rotary movement to the gripper. shaft and means for opening and closing the grippers to take and release the sheets. 7' a 46. The combination with a swinging platen having rods extending therefrom, reoiprocating carriers movably mounted on said rods, a rotatingshaft journaled in said carriers and grippers carried by said shaft, of

a table for sheets 'dividedtransversely and hinged, screws for adjusting the forward edge of the table, a rock-shaft at the forward edge of the table provided'with stop pins, means for impartingrotary-moven1ent,,to the grip per shaft, means for opening and closing the grippers to takevand release the sheets, and means for oscillating the rock shaft and stop pins when a sheet is taken by a gripper.

47. The combination With a swinging platen, reciprocating-carriers, a gripper shaft journaled in said carriers and grippers oar ried by said shaft, of rock shafts 43 carried by the gripper shaft and provided with crank arms, I operating connections intermediate erases,

the rock shafts and the grippers, springs 76 e when in position to take a sheet and swing the stop pins away from the sheet, spring 76 closing the gripper as soon as the crank arm has pa :ed the cam and causing the crank arm to engage the lover which in turn oscillates rook shaft 68 and returns the stop pins to their normal position.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

MICHAEL rv MAHONEY. [1 8.] Witnesses:

THOMAS KrNsnLLA,

GEORGE ELLIs. 

